Polyphenols functionalized MOF encapsulated BPQDs for synergistic photothermal/photodynamic antibacterial properties and multifunctional food preservation

[Display omitted] •Novel composite active antibacterial material was prepared.•Outstanding photothermal conversion efficiency.•Excellent reactive oxygen species generation and biocompatibility.•Composite antibacterial film significantly extended the shelf life of food.•The designed materials can maintain food safety through non-invasive means. Active antibacterial materials play an important role in solving food safety problems caused by pathogen contamination. In this study, a composite active antibacterial material with the synergistic antibacterial effectiveness of photothermal, photodynamic and the surface charge of polyphenols was developed, where the multi-porous polyphenol functionalized metal–organic frameworks (ZIF-8-TA) were used as the framework carrier, and black phosphorus quantum dots (BPQDs) were used as the photosensitive source. The resulted ZIF-8-TA/PBQDs possesses excellent photothermal conversion efficiency (27.92%), photodynamic performance and surface charge, and these factors ensure the outstanding broad-spectrum antibacterial performance (100%). Multifunctional characteristics and excellent biocompatibility endow the materials with vast potential for foodstuff packaging. The results showed that the composite antibacterial film produced by doping ZIF-8-TA/PBQDs into chitosan could effectively prolong the shelf life of foodstuff compared with commercial membrane. The successful implementation of this research provides a new idea for controlling microbial contamination and developing multifunctional antibacterial materials.